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Thursday, November 3, 2016

2nd November 2016 - Plod plod plod

I think that everyone who works to master a skill knows an obvious, essential truth - a lot of the work to get there isn't fun.

The vast majority of the work on the way to Massies Mill will be boring.
Yes folks you heard me right - boring.

There will be days absent of even the smallest insight. There will be an utter lack of relevance. Not a hint of the sense of purpose. Miles from the interesting gig.
These are the days you'll be showing up for the plod, plod, plod work of moving forward.

And those will be the vast majority of the days.

The vast majority of days.

This is fundamental and not at all glorious.
In the end but only in the end those the result of those days transcend the daily slog but you only have that feeling looking backwards.

Forwards is a often like this -

Now I'm not saying all days are a slog and that the slow realization that things are improving isn't satisfying but it would be a much bigger mistake to think that just in recognising the monotony of the toil it suddenly becomes wonderful and translucent and meaningful.

To convey that impression on them misses the vital importance of acceptance.

We have to accept the dull, daily chore of it all. And often this does not get transcended in a Buddha like moment.

It will not be interesting. It will not feel important. It will not make my day more interesting.
It will just be another day walking.
Realising this will not make the dirt track feel like the forest trail below.

The vast majority of days will feel like work. And that's the point.
You don't keep accept this and doing it anyway you'll never reach that destination.

You keep doing it despite the lack of importance, meaning.
You accept this. Then you work.